26 July Summer Festivals in Lebanon (1)
The summer sees three main music festivals in Lebanon: in Byblos, Beit ed Din and Baalbeck. In 2006 and 2007 the festivals were not held because of war and other troubles. This year they are pulling themselves together again. Byblos opened a few weeks ago with the President in the audience and Patti Smith on stage. For old rockers the setting was a dream with the back drop of a castle on the Mediterranean. I have had the pleasure of going to Beit ed Din twice this last week; once for a jazz concert, once for a display of Tango from Argentina. Again the setting is amazing: a nineteenth century palace in the mountains. Just the windy road to get there through spectacular scenery is worthwhile. The highlight of the Tango was not the show itself but the meal afterwards in a local hotel. The Argentinian dancers were challenged by a local girl to dance to Arabic tunes - they hesitated at first but their dancing instincts got the better of them. The rest of the diners (myself included) were then treated to what can only be described as an Arabic Tango followed by an Argentinian Debka. We clapped and roared with the best. Cross-cultural indeed.
Posted at 15:32 28 July 2008 by Frances Guy | Comments[0]
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